Two Herd starters from last season say they’ll be back next year
By Bill Cornwell
Marshall Men’s Basketball Coach Cornelius Jackson is working to retool his team for the 2025-2026 season, but he got some news this week that brings some stability to the Thundering Herd’s roster.
Starting guards Dezayne Mingo and Jalen Speer announced on social media at the start of the week that they’ll be playing for the Herd next season.
Mingo used an X post to say, “Unfinished Business” in announcing his return, while Speer, also on X, said, “I’m Back.”
Forward Wyatt Fricks also announced his return on X, saying, “Lets Run it Back, Herd Nation.”
So far, Marshall has lost only one player to the Transfer Portal—sophomore guard Kycen Pruett, who appeared in only three games last season, scoring six points.
Mingo and Speer bring points and assist abilities to Marshall’s offense.
Mingo, a 6-4 Hamilton, Ontario, native who transferred from the University of Guelph, handled point guard duties for Marshall last season, averaging 12.2 points per game (3rd on the team) and 4.7 rebounds per contest. Mingo had 162 assists on the season and only 82 turnovers in 31 games. He also picked up 24 steals.
The 6-1 Speer, a Florida A&M transfer, quickly became one of the Herd’s top 3-point shooting threats. He averaged 10.8 points per game and added 79 assists and 28 steals. He put up 202 3-point shots on the season, making 35.1% of them. That 3-point shot total was only exceeded by Mikal Dawson’s 237 attempts.
Fricks, a 6-10 senior, played in 31 games last season, starting three contests. He averaged five points and just over two rebounds per game, but he added 20 shot blocks and 16 steals in limited playing time.
Jackson will also see the return of backup point guard Kai Spears, the son of Marshall Director of Athletics Christian Spears, and 6-10 sophomore Erich Harding, who logged increasing minutes late in the season.
Jackson is looking for inside presence in the Transfer Portal, especially with the loss of forwards Obinna Cnochili-Kilcen and Nate Martin, who finished their eligibility. Other needs arise in the small forward and shooting guard areas as Dawson and Jakob and Cade Gibbs also finished their college careers.